Jalen Brunson Lifts Knicks to First NBA Finals Since 1999 With 26-Point Average

Q: Could this series ignite a new coastal rivalry between Brunson's Knicks and Wembanyama's Spurs?

Yes — if the Knicks finish off San Antonio, this Finals could become the start of a real Knicks-Spurs rivalry, even if it is too early to call it a lasting one. The ingredients are unusually strong. The series has star contrast and staying power: Jalen Brunson, the 29-year-old face of New York’s resurgence, against 22-year-old Victor Wembanyama, already a Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-NBA force. Both teams look built to contend beyond this June, which is what turns a great Finals into a recurring feud. There is also real history. The Spurs beat the Knicks in the 1999 Finals, New York’s last trip to this stage before now. This rematch gives the series a revenge angle, and the Knicks are one win from ending a 53-year title drought while leading 3-1. That raises the emotional stakes well beyond a normal championship matchup. The games themselves have added fuel. New York’s 29-point comeback in Game 4 was the largest in Finals history, and the series has included visible physicality and frustration. Fan intensity has also been extreme, though both teams have condemned violence and urged respect. What is still missing is repetition. True NBA rivalries are usually built over multiple playoff meetings, not one dramatic series. But with Brunson in his prime, Wembanyama ascending, and both franchises carrying major brand power, this Finals has clearly created the framework for a new cross-conference rivalry.

3 articles · Updated · TIME · Jun 9

26 points per game from Jalen Brunson powered New York to its first NBA Finals berth in 27 years, capping his 2025-26 season with the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award.
The 6-foot-2 point guard built that run on late-game shotmaking, footwork and control after already winning the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year award in 2024-25.
Brunson, a three-time NBA All-Star and two-time NCAA champion at Villanova, now heads into a Finals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs.
A Knicks title would end the franchise’s 53-year championship drought and further cement Brunson’s place among the team’s most beloved stars.